Planning permission granted for 31-unit housing development in Mayo after nearly 100 objections force major redesign
Planning permission has been granted for a 31-unit housing development in Knockaphunta, Castlebar.
An application submitted by MGB Land Holdings received the green light from Mayo County Council after revised plans for the scheme were submitted, following significant local opposition to the original proposal, which attracted nearly 100 objections from residents in the area.
The development, which will be built on a 0.6-hectare site, will consist of:
Six three-bedroom semi-detached houses
A total of 66 car parking spaces will be provided for the 31 homes, an increase on the 64 spaces proposed under the original plan.
The original application sought permission for a 38-unit development comprising 13 two-bedroom houses, 17 three-bedroom houses, five four-bedroom houses, and three two-bedroom apartments.
However, the proposal faced strong opposition, with four submissions lodged totalling 96 signatures.
Residents’ concerns generally centred on increased traffic volumes, insufficient parking provision, the scale and density of the proposed development, and its potential impact on existing residential amenities.
One submission, made by Aiden Shevlin on behalf of residents of College View Estate, gathered 89 signatures.
The submission argued that the design of the development did “not take into consideration” the existing estate and warned it would have a “negative impact on the established community”.
Residents also raised concerns that the original proposal exceeded recommended housing density guidelines, with 38 dwellings on 0.6 hectares resulting in 63.3 dwellings per hectare.
Castlebar is classified as a large town under the ‘Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities’, which recommend densities of between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare.
Higher densities are generally considered more appropriate in areas close to suitable public transport.
Objectors noted the development is almost 2km from bus stops on Stephen Garvey Way and approximately 2.5km from Castlebar Train Station.
Further concerns were reaised in relation to parking provision, with residents warning that insufficient spaces could lead to “haphazard parking and unsafe conditions”, while increased traffic volumes would have an “adverse impact” on what they described as an “already very busy” area.
Residents also argued that the original design lacked sufficient public and private open space. While objectors said they were not opposed to residential development on the site, they requested that permission be withheld until their concerns were addressed.
A separate submission by Andrew Hersey Planning, on behalf of four residents of Knockaphunta Park, also raised concerns about residential amenity, housing density and boundary treatment.
Those residents similarly stated they were not objecting to the principle of development, but requested that the density be reduced to 30 units.
Revised plans were submitted by MGB Land Holdings that reduced the overall number of units from 38 to 31 and increased parking provision to ensure two spaces per housing unit, including disabled and electric vehicle parking spaces.
The revised plans addressed the concerns raised by residents and also included four designated play areas, three pocket parks and increased rear garden depths across four properties.
Mayo County Council granted planning permission for the development, subject to 25 conditions.
Any appeal against the decision must be lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of the grant date, May 12, 2026.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.